Pine Mountain Lake · Groveland, CA
A private dock on the lake,
24 miles from Yosemite
Four bedrooms, four full baths and 180° of open water. My canoes, kayaks and paddleboards are down on the beach — pull one off and you're out there in a minute.
- 4.96★ · 54 reviews
- Guest Favorite
- Superhost
- 4BR / 4BA
- Sleeps 8
- Private dock
Why people come here
A lakefront house with its own dock, an hour and a bit from the valley floor of Yosemite. Room for eight, and the water starts at the bottom of the lawn.
180° of open water
The living room, the deck and the upstairs bedroom all look straight down the lake. Sunset happens on this side, so you watch it from the deck instead of driving somewhere to find it.
A private dock, and the boats to go with it
Two canoes, two kayaks, two paddleboards and life jackets, already pulled up on the beach at the bottom of the lawn. Swim ladder off the end of the dock, and largemouth bass under it.
A hot tub that still works in January
Pine Mountain Lake never freezes, so it runs all year. After dark the string lights come on and the far shore turns into a scatter of gold on the water.
Yosemite, 24 miles up the road
The Big Oak Flat entrance is 24 miles east on Highway 120 — about 45 minutes, so you can be at the valley floor ahead of the day-trippers. Hetch Hetchy is 25 miles, and Wapama Falls peaks April through June.
The lawn runs down to the water, and the dock is yours
Pine Mountain Lake is 202 acres with 6 miles of shoreline and 3 sand beaches. This is your stretch of it — a private dock with a swim ladder, two canoes, two kayaks and two paddleboards already pulled up on the beach. The water is calm, genuinely swimmable, and it never freezes.
The house
Three storeys, four bedrooms, five beds and four full bathrooms. The living room, dining area and kitchen all face the water through four French doors, and on warm days I throw them all open so the deck and the living room become one room.
More photos of the rooms are on their way.
What you'll find here
The water
- Private dock with swim ladder
- 2 three-person canoes, 2 kayaks, 2 paddleboardsLife jackets included. No rental counter, no time slot.
- Lawn running to the shoreline
- Fishing off the dockLargemouth bass, bluegill, crappie, trout.
- 180° panoramic lake view
- Sunset faces the property across open water
Outside
- Hot tub, seats 5The lake never freezes — a January soak works as well as a July one.
- Two deck levelsMain deck off the living room, private balcony off the primary bedroom.
- 8-person outdoor dining table
- BBQ grill
- Fire pit
Inside
- 4 full bathrooms for 8 guestsEvery bathroom is a full bath, not a half.
- Stone fireplace
- 4 French doors to the deck
- Full kitchen with islandStove and oven, French-door refrigerator, pots and pans, tableware for 10.
- Nespresso Vertuo
- Hotel-grade towels, refillable toiletries
- Board gamesCatan, Ticket to Ride, Splendor, Jenga.
Game room
- 75" TV and PS4
- Foosball table
- Treadmill and ellipticalFacing the water.
Working from here
- Sit-stand desk
- External monitor
- Ergonomic chair
- Wifi
Practical
- Free parking on premises
- Washer and dryer
- Pets welcomeWell-behaved pets.
- Holiday decorations, November–January
Yosemite, and everything inside the gate
- Yosemite — Big Oak Flat entrance24 miles east on Highway 120
Roughly a 45-minute drive.
- Hetch Hetchy25 miles
Wapama Falls peaks April through June, at full snowmelt.
- Rainbow Pool swimming holes15 miles east on Highway 120
- Groveland10 min
Just outside the gate. The Iron Door Saloon has been pouring since 1852 — California's oldest continuously operating saloon.
Inside the community
A private gated community built around the lake and an 18-hole championship course.
- Marina
- Three sand beaches
- Equestrian center
- Tennis and pickleball courts
- 18-hole championship golf
The course was designed by William F. Bell and opened in 1969: par 70, 6,363 yards, ponderosa pine and black oak throughout.
Entry is through the main gate with a guest pass per vehicle. The association charges about $50 per vehicle per stay.
4.96★ from 54 guests
96% five stars
“I've stayed at half a dozen different homes in Pine Mountain Lake and hands down this was the best of them all.”
“We saw deer all day everyday in the yard. You just feel relaxed, peaceful and connected to nature here.”
“If you like bass fishing, no kidding it's a real honey hole. We caught a huge bass, which we released.”
“The balcony and dock are amazing, and everything was very high quality at the house.”
“We had 7 people and felt spread out and not on top of each other.”
“This was a great place to bring the whole family.”
“Very clean, enough dishes, and the view is simply beyond words.”
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Book on Booking.com(opens in a new tab)Things people ask me
How do I get through the gate?
The house sits inside the Pine Mountain Lake gated community, so you'll come in through the main gate and pick up a guest pass for each vehicle. The association charges about $50 per vehicle per stay — that one goes to the community, not to me. I'll send you the gate directions with your check-in details.
Can we use the boats?
Yes, and they're yours for the stay. Two three-person canoes, two single-seat kayaks, two paddleboards, and life jackets for the group. They live on the beach at the bottom of the lawn, so getting on the water takes about a minute. No rental counter, no time slot, no roof rack.
Is the hot tub usable in winter?
Yes. The lake never freezes and I keep the hot tub running all year. A January soak works exactly as well as a July one, and the string lights make it better.
Can we bring our dog?
Please do — well-behaved pets are welcome, and plenty of my guests arrive with dogs. There's a lawn running down to the water and deer in it most mornings, so they tend to have a good time.
How far is Yosemite?
Yosemite's Big Oak Flat entrance is 24 miles east on Highway 120, about a 45-minute drive, so you can be at the valley floor ahead of the day-trippers. Hetch Hetchy is around 25 miles, and Wapama Falls is at its best April through June. Do check the National Park Service for current entrance-reservation rules before you travel — they change year to year.
Where do we park?
There's free parking at the house. The only thing to know is the community's gate fee is charged per vehicle, so arriving in fewer cars saves you money.
Can we change the bed configuration?
Yes. One bedroom has two twin beds that slide together into a king. Tell me what you'd like before you arrive and it'll be made up that way when you walk in.
What are the check-in and check-out times?
Check in any time from 4:00 PM, and the door code keeps working until 2:00 AM if you're driving up late. Check-out is before 11:00 AM.
What happens if I need to cancel?
You can cancel within 48 hours of booking for a full refund, as long as that's at least 14 days before check-in. After that, cancelling 30 or more days ahead is a full refund, and between 7 and 30 days ahead is 50%. Inside the last 7 days I'm not able to refund the stay.
Is there a deposit?
I hold a $500 refundable security deposit against the card on file. It's released after you check out, assuming the house is left roughly as you found it.
Anything you want to know before you come?
Ask me about the gate, the boats, the drive up, or whether the tree will be up when you visit. I answer the same day, in English or Chinese.